Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Test Equipment – Innovations in Autonomous Driving

New trends and innovations are emerging almost every day in the automotive industry. As the world moves toward technologically advanced electric and autonomous vehicles, concerns about driver safety and driving efficiency are increasing.

Engineers and scientists from all over the world are working hard to make driving comfortable and safe. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are the result of years of hard work. ADAS aims to automate, adapt and upgrade automotive technologies to improve driving safety.

The question arises here, how will you test these systems before using them in real-world applications?

As manufacturers strive to meet security specifications, a comprehensive understanding of the software and hardware validation process is required to quickly identify the test scenarios required for ADAS testing. Modern ADAS test hardware and software are designed to test these ADAS systems against an almost endless number of scenarios.

Here we will cover some of the most important tests, simulations, and trends that are expected to define the future of the global ADAS test equipment market.

What is the purpose of ADAS test equipment?

Driver error is the main cause of accidents. According to the National Highway and Road Safety Administration (NHTSA), driver error accounts for 94 percent of traffic accidents, with identification errors being the most common cause. By using advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), we can reduce accidents, injuries and fatalities and eliminate human error.

For ADAS to operate efficiently, the system's sensors, cameras, software, lighting, and audio components must be thoroughly tested so that they can quickly identify obstacles and defects and take the necessary measures.

ADAS test systems must be flexible enough to test passive or active systems, alarm mechanisms, and safety features without hindering driver parking and driving tasks.

Why is simulated ADAS testing becoming increasingly popular?

Test drives are a convenient and foolproof way to evaluate a car's performance. We can do this on the road, in the city or on a designated test track. Real-life ADAS tests are beneficial because they can evaluate the performance of a vehicle in a real-world environment.

Testing self-driving cars is another matter. Many of the contingencies that self-driving cars may encounter cannot be covered in actual testing. Therefore, checking the ADAS system of a self-driving car on the road is not a viable option.

Virtual simulation testing solves this problem. By creating a virtual environment for the ADAS system, we can simulate the entire driving situation and test the ADAS system using software. It allows self-driving cars to be tested in a variety of environments. Manufacturers are turning to ADAS test software because they offer risk-free, accurate, and lower-cost testing options.

Alphabet subsidiary Waymo, for example, used computer simulations to test its self-driving robot taxis. The company creates virtual city models and uses them to test its ADAS system. Every day, Waymo collects data for virtual journeys. Using this data, the company aggregates the information into its 600 minivans and then tests them on the spot to make sure they are safe to drive on public roads.

Nvidia has also adopted virtual simulation technology for ADAS testing of autonomous vehicles and improved vehicle safety.

As simulation technology improves to address fundamental driving challenges, ADAS testing will become more common in the virtual world. This work is critical to further advancing the development of ADAS, autonomous technologies, testing and validation in the real world.

ADAS Inspection Equipment Market Analysis

The surge in technological advancements and innovations in the ADAS systems space is expected to drive the market for its test equipment in the coming years. According to the Future Market Insights Report for the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Test Equipment Market, sales are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1% by 2031.

The advent of rapid automation and autonomous vehicles is a key factor influencing the ADAS test equipment market. Since ADAS contains electronic components that require regular calibration and testing, the demand for test equipment will remain stable in the coming years.

Companies are collaborating to pool their resources for intensive R&D purposes. This strategy will result in new integrated testing solutions and assist engineers in reducing testing costs. Collaboration will seamlessly integrate test data and tools into software validation and validation workflow systems.

For example, AVL, a leading company providing test systems, and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Science Research (TNO) are working together to accelerate the validation of autonomous vehicle technology. AVL is creating an open, scenario-based validation and validation toolchain that allows for rapid design and execution of tests in a variety of test scenarios. TNO has created a proprietary system for extracting scenes and statistics from actual driving data.

The AVL Test Case Generator will generate test cases and plans based on the TNOStreetWise database environment. AVL offers simulation generators and open test environments that make it possible to combine virtual and real testing in an optimal test plan. Both of these aspects help us get closer to the intelligent testing of ADAS capabilities that we all want.

The future of ADAS test equipment in the United States

Future Market Insights reports that the Market for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) test equipment in North America is expected to grow at a staggering CAGR of 11.3% by 2031.

Auto giants such as Tesla, General Motors and Nissan have shown a preference for ADAS test equipment to test their self-driving passenger cars and robo-taxis. As a center for technological breakthroughs in the automotive industry, the United States will provide ideal conditions for the ADAS test equipment market to flourish in the coming years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is developing updated guidelines and implementing several road safety and vehicle assistance rules and regulations. With state and national regulations in place, the demand for test setups will increase over a decade.

Manufacturers also work with regional test facilities on ADAS development and evaluation until the new NHTSA rules are finalized.

What does the future hold?

In the coming years, the application areas of software-based ADAS test equipment will be very extensive. As autonomous driving becomes a hot topic, automakers will leverage test software, sensor fusion, and driver state-aware systems to ensure the safety of drivers, pedestrians, property, and vehicles. In addition, testing the ADAS system will become mandatory in the coming years.

Automakers will rely on state-of-the-art sensors to test the performance of driver assistance systems. As precision and repeatability become the cornerstone of the global ADAS test equipment market, manufacturers are working to develop automated calibration and configuration systems to reduce overall test time during validation and commissioning.

The lack of in-house test infrastructure and regulatory challenges for autonomous vehicles will enable manufacturers and OEMs to work with test centers to accelerate the development of ADAS systems.

In the future, as ADAS test equipment technology is being modified to simulate demanding driving scenarios, more and more ADAS tests will be conducted in a virtual environment. These bold innovations will usher in a new era of modern vehicles.

by Nikil Kateward